Yula's POV
"Where's Cora?" their leader asked without hesitation. Then Lyna looked back at me.
"That's Cora," she said. A wave of calm washed over me.
"Wasn't she asked to escort the condemned slaves?" the man behind asked.
"Yes, she was. But my lady ordered that she be changed and someone else assigned in her place." Another wave of relief flooded me. This time around, I managed to smile. A small, almost unnoticeable smile. Then their leader turned and walked away, the others trailing after him. Lyna and I were left standing there—my heartbeat trying to steady. Their leader looked like a bundle of arrogance and bad manners.
"Return to your duty, rotten slave!"
I hurried back, arranging the table again.
Ivan mind-linked, "What's going on there? We are running out of time. Before this place gets flooded with people, we have to get her out of here," he said without a breathing space.
"I know. It's not as easy as you think, Ivan. They are watching me closely, so I have to be careful."
"Have you even given Valeria the note?"
"No, I haven't. No private time yet, Ivan."
"Please do. Some men will be coming up here soon. I overheard their discussion in the fields. Hurry up before we get caught!"
I continued to arrange the plates and cups when Valeria walked past with a small heap of well-folded wrappers. I rushed to her.
"Valeria, it's me, Yula. We have to leave this place. Varkos plans to kill you tonight!" I said in between heavy breaths as I approached her. She turned, and I realized it wasn't Valeria. She only looked like her from behind. I froze.
She narrowed her eyes. "You plan to escape with our lady's maid?" she questioned with arched brows, signaling danger. As she wanted to leave, I grabbed her wrist.
"We can settle this," I said, but she didn't want to hear anything. "I promise, I will get you out of here too."
She paused, staring into my eyes. Then she burst into loud, creaky laughter, like a door groaning on rusted hinges. Her expression shifted again, turning serious, before she snapped,
"I don't deserve freedom. I have been a slave here for nineteen years."
"I understand… We can all escape," I cut in as she wanted to say something else.
She tapped my shoulder twice. "Don't worry. I won't tell anyone, Yula," she said softly. I was dumbfounded. I watched her take steps away, but as soon as I noticed the place was clear, I rushed behind her and twisted her neck. She dropped dead. I dragged her body like a bag of trash and hid it behind the curtain, where the large dining table I had prepared for the guest stood. My heart pounded in my chest. I dusted my palms, walking quietly as I watched the corners closely. Then the familiar man walked past. I moved back and hid beside the wall where I leaned slightly to peek. He was discussing with Varkos in the walkway. Then Nara passed with Valeria following behind her. She stopped and greeted the men. Her father tapped her back gently as she walked into the room in front of them.
I kept watching. The other man passed something flat that was covered in thick white paper to Varkos. It looked like a new knife. My wolf became troubled, it started feeling uneasy. I should leave before I was caught, I thought to myself, but my wolf protested, demanding that I conclude this.
I have come too far already, I should finalize this, I thought. If I back out now, I'd lose the only genuine friend I have. A friend who became a sister. Apart from being in the same pack, we had a special connection and bond as though we were blood sisters. I didn't want my efforts to go to waste.
If only I could get this note through to Valeria. She would understand what was going on.
I mind-linked Ivan. "I think they know about our plans."
"They do?"
"Yes, because she follows Nara everywhere like a personal bodyguard. Nara seems to be keeping a close watch on her."
"That's the reason we shouldn't waste any more time. Though everything still looks calm outside here. Nothing looks suspicious yet. But I still suggest we make everything snappy."
"I also do not think she knows she'll be killed tonight like a sacrificial lamb for the party. I am just concerned about why she follows Nara like someone who is being manipulated."
There was a long pause accompanied by silence. I thought Ivan was avoiding being caught until I heard him say, "Yula, just do all you can to get her out of there. She's one of us, remember? Hurry up before the party begins."
As I peeked again, the two men were gone. Where to? My wolf could not rest. I just couldn't keep hiding. Everything that was happening was raising my suspicion, I had to do something. Just as I wanted to step out of my hideout, I saw Nara come out of the room, but Valeria did not follow behind.
Had she killed Valeria inside that room? I had to get there to see for myself. I walked freely down the walkway; one guard walked past me. I entered the room. It was larger than I imagined, like a hall. I walked past old tables, chairs, and some old dusty furniture. Was this a storeroom or something else? As I walked farther into the room, I heard a faint sound. At first, I thought it was a rat, but as I scanned the room, trying to trace the sound, my eyes locked onto a human figure, squatting. I narrowed my eyes. "Valeria?" I whispered as I drew closer to her.
She was tied mercilessly under a large old table like a sacrificial lamb waiting to be slaughtered. Her lips were sealed with black tape.
I looked around. No one was watching. I untied her hands and legs carefully. She removed the tape impatiently, panting like a prisoner who had just escaped. Sweat was forming on her forehead.
"Who are you?" she asked, fear creeping into her voice. My heart raced faster than hers but I didn't want to show it. I knew this wouldn't be easy, but I was hell-bent on saving my friend. I removed my wig.
"Yula?" she muttered. I pressed my palm against her mouth immediately.
"Shhhh," I said, my eyes sharp like the eyes of a predator prowling the forest at night in search of its prey. "Varkos plans to kill you tonight for more powers." Valeria gasped, her lips parted like someone who had just seen a ghost.
"Pull yourself together. We are getting you out of here," I said in a whisper.
"We? Who else is here with you?"
"Just me and a new member of our pack."
Valeria moved away, her chest rising rapidly. She quickly snatched a small wooden object from the old table behind her and pointed it at me. "Stay away from me, you traitor!"
My lip dropped as shock ran through my veins. "Me, a traitor?"
We heard approaching footsteps. Our eyes met. The door creaked open slowly as someone stepped in.
"Get her!" the voice barked. A man rushed to the large table where Valeria had been tied, but she wasn't there anymore. He squatted and picked up the rope that had bound her.
"Master, she's gone," he reported sharply. Our hearts pounded louder, sweat dripping down our bodies in relentless streams and soaking our clothes. I gripped Valeria's hand firmly as we prayed in our hearts. We didn't see their faces, we only watched them from their legs. Their so-called master didn't look like Varkos. I think every department had their masters who all took orders from Varkos.
The master stepped into the room and started sniffing around every corner. "They're here," he said in a gruff voice. At this point, we heard the relentless drum of our heartbeat.
He walked closer and stood beside the table where we hid. As he was about to bend, the sharp sound from the gong outside echoed through the ancient buildings, sending everyone into a frantic, disorganized rush. The master looked back and stormed out to see what more had happened. The others hurried off behind him. Relief flooded us.
We watched lesser wolves drop helplessly to the ground as others trampled over them in their panic to flee. Someone screamed, "They found Cora's dead body… and another." I trembled, goosebumps prickling on my skin.